Gear Review: Kel-Tec CL-43 Flashlight

It was nearly one full year ago that I toured Kel-Tec’s Cocoa, FL facilities, picking up this CL-43 flashlight from their retail store on the way out. Here at TTAG we like to thoroughly test products before publishing a review, sure, but a year of using this as my go-to nightstand and EDC flashlight is just excessive. Therefore, exactly one week prior to the one-year anniversary, I give you the Kel-Tec CL-43 flashlight review . . .

You’ve probably already noticed the unique shape of this light and the unique location of its on/off button. Indeed, the button faces forwards and depresses to the rear.

The idea here was to create a hand-held flashlight meant to be used with a firearm. It’s twice as wide as it is thick, so it won’t roll, and the offset button at the front allows a wrap-around grip and activation with a squeeze rather than a push.

Integrating the CL-43 into one’s shooting grip is easy. Certainly it feels a bit odd to have that 6061 aluminum lump between some of your support hand and the frame, but in practice it isn’t particularly intrusive and is much easier to shoot with than a traditional flashlight. In fact, it’s easier to shoot with the CL-43 held in the manner seen above than to shoot single-handed in the normal, sans-flashlight manner.

There are three CR123 batteries included and pre-installed in there. They’re good for a run time of 3 hours and 35 minutes, which is a lot of flashlight action.

Two machine screws hold the reversible pocket clip (swap it from side-to-side) to the gasket-sealed cap and clamp the cap to the body. The CL-43 is waterproof to one meter for 30 minutes.

A gentle squeeze on the button offers momentary activation, or squeeze it until the click for constant on/off. There are no other modes to become annoyed with.

The bezel, lens, and LED unit can be unscrewed from the front of the body should they require replacement. Bezel diameter is about 15/16 in.

While the light can be gripped shoved into the web of one’s hand and using the trigger finger like a trigger finger…

I actually prefer doing it this way in normal use. It gets pulled out of my pocket with trigger finger indexed along the long side of the light, pointing at the target. The grip is really secure this way, and because my finger is pointing at the target, the fairly focused beam is on-target.

The CL-43 carries easily in a pocket. Its body is about 0.76″ thick, and because it’s about twice as wide it feels pretty flat, stable, and comfortable. More like a pocket knife than a flashlight, basically.

If your pants have a deep fifth pocket, it may even fit in there. The CL-43 weighs about 3.7 ounces.

In a year of use I’ve had precisely zero issues with this light. It’s traveled with me all around the country and has lived in my pocket nearly every time I’ve been out and about during after-dark hours. The finish and aluminum are holding up great, and lord knows I’ve banged the pocket clip, in particular, into all sorts of things. Kel-Tec rates the CL-43 for one-meter drops onto a hard surface, though I can’t say I’ve accidently or intentionally tested that.

The CL-43 is available in seven different colors — Cerakoted, I believe — and runs $140. This ain’t cheap, but neither is the light. It’s a solidly-built, yet lightweight tactical light that’s extremely bright, carries easily, and offers unique ergos that actually work.

Overall * * * * *Kel-Tec is known for inexpensive, polymer-intensive firearms, but their flashlights are nothing like that. Solid and bright with no frills, the CL-43 gets the job done. It’s a quality tactical flashlight that you can rely on, and the funky layout really works.

In the Surefire world one battery is 300 lumens, two batteries is 500, and three batteries is 1000 lumens. Most gun/gear companies cannot compete for long in the flashlight game because they can’t put forward the resources. Just ask Leupold.

Sorry, but there’s no chance in hell I’ll ever own a Kel-Tec anything ever again. 2 broken ejectors in less than 1,000 rounds on my P11 was enough to destroy my confidence in the brand. (The trigger sucked too, but at least that part didn’t break on me.)

LOL for sure. I happen to really like it, but I understand that $140 for “a Kel-Tec” flashlight is weird and I get the comments about the drop rating.

For all interested parties: I’ll contact Kel-Tec to ask about the drop rating and water resistance rating. According to the ANSI FL-1 standard, if a flashlight isn’t tested via the full drop-rating protocol you aren’t allowed to make a claim above 1 meter. They also require test results to be rounded down to the nearest meter, should something go through the official process. Likewise, IPX7 is a standard, base-level water resistance rating.

Streamlight ProTac is 1-meter drop rated and has the same IPX7 waterproof rating. Olight and Fenix are 1 meter drop rated, though most are IPX8. Some Nitecore claim 1.5 meter drop rating but according to the ANSI FL-1 standard they’re supposed to round that down and should be stating 1 meter. I can’t find ratings on SureFire? Mag-Lite’s “magtac” tactical light brand are rated for 1 meter drops but just say “water resistant.”

For $20 more I can get the aqualite pro 100. A light that I can swim underwater with all day. Takes a rechargeable lithium battery and delivers 1200 lumens – 3 times what your light delivers. All for about $160. Takes a very cheap and common 18650 lithium ion rechargeable battery.

For $20 less than your light, I can get the aqualite 500 lumen version. Still brighter than the kel-tec.

I’ll wait 3 weeks for a $10 chinese version that has better specs, thanks.

Kel-Tec works because they have innovative ideas, bad QC- and sell in a federally restricted and regulated market that doesn’t allow overseas competition (922(r)) and outright forbids chinese competition.

A flashlight? $140 @IPX7? 1 meter DROP? Lol. Good luck. Kel-lite was selling themselves as throw proof down a hallway in the 1960s, with incandescent bulbs.

Interesting that a gun company’s most successful product since birth is a flashlight. Sounds like it takes a fair bit of abuse but the specs on it are terrible for a tactical flashlight. I like the design but the battery cost issue is a deal killer. I used to live in Cocoa so I’ve been rooting for these guys to be successful but their record isn’t that great. Dang it you guys…get your crap together so I can buy a gun that works from you!